Foldable table



Oct. 27, 1942. T, UN E E- 2,299,909

FOLDABLE TAB-LE Filed Feb. 14, 1940 VIIIIIIIIII'IIII 'II'IIIA Patented Oct. 27, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FGLDABLE TABLE Theodore G. Linderm'e, Detroit, Mich.

Application February 14, 1940, SerialN'o. 318,880 2 Claims. (or 311-37) My invention relates to a new and useful improvement in a foldable: table so constructed and arranged that the supporting standard and table top may be folded into compact. position for storage or shipment and may easily and quickly be unfolded and placed in operative position.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a table of this type which will be simple. in structure, economical of manufacture, durable, compact, easily and quickly assembled, easily and quickly adjusted for folding and unfolding and one which will be highly efficient in use.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a table ofthis class so arranged that a tipping of the table when in use will be avoided.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a table of this class so arranged and constructed that it may be securely locked in its various positions of adjustment.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a table having spaced apart supporting rods which serve as legs and which also serve as a slide bed on which the supporting standard may be slid.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a mechanism whereby a sliding of the supporting standard on the slide rails or slide bed is prevented when the supporting standard is moved to upright or operative supporting position.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

It is recognized that various changes and modifications may be made in the detail of structure illustrated without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention and it is, intended that such variations and modifications shall be embraced herein.

Forming a part of this specification is a drawing, in which,

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of the invention with parts broken away and parts shown in secof Fig. 1,

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken on line 6-6 of Fig. 1,

Fig. 7 is a sectional View taken on line 11 of Fig. 1,

Fig. 8 is a sectionalview takenon line 8r8 of Fig, 1

Fig. 9 is a sectional view taken on line 9-9of Fig. 1, 1

Fig. 10 is a sectional. View slightly enlarged taken'on linel0--l 0 of- Fig.4..

As shown in the drawing;. 1 provide a pair of pipe sections 11 and I8 whichare spaced apart and extended parallel, the ends of which are downwardly, angularly turned-as at I9 and outwardly turned as at 29 to form supporting feet. These pipe sections l1 and I8 serve as a supporting bed and as a slide bed- Theyare connected' together adjacent their opposite ends by the cross bars 2| and 2-2 which rest? upon the same and are secured thereto by welding or in any other suitable manner. Slidable on these rails or pipe sections I1 and l8'is a carriage-embodying an upper section 23 and a lower section 24, the marginal edges of which areadapted to embrace the pipe sections i1 and I8 as clearly ap-- pears in Fig. 4. The upper section 23 forms a box-like structure, the section 24 serving as-the bottom thereof. Extended upwardly from the section 23 are the spaced apart lugs 25, which are formed integral therewith and. through an opening 26 in each of. which extends a screw 21, the screw being pivoted in the opening 26 and fitting snugly therein. This screw is threaded into a fitting 28 in which is inserted, by a press fit, one end of a pipe or supporting standard 29. The fitting 28 carries, at its base, a flange 30 one end of which is adapted to engage the shoulder 3! on the box-like structure when the standard 29 is swung into upright position. Oppositely disposed side walls 32 and 33 form a part of the box-like structure referred to and threaded into the side wall 33 is a screw 34 having a collar 35 fixedly mounted thereon and provided with the angularly turned hand grip 36 whereby the screw may be rotated. This screw! extends through a keeper 31 having a lip 38 which is adapted. to overhang and engage against the upper edge of the flange 30 when the standard 29 is swung into upright position and. the screw 34 is tightened so as to secure the keeper in the position shown in Fig. 5 and a tilting of the standard 29 is prevented.

The screws 21 are provided with an eccentric portion 39 which engages in an opening 49 formed in the plate 45. This plate is provided on its lower end with a bolt portion 46 having the end threaded for reception of a nut 41, this bolt portion extending through openings formed in the section 24. The construction is such that when the standard 29 is swung into upright or supporting position, the screw 21 rotates on its axis so as to bring the eccentric portion 39 into its upper position and thus lift the plates 45 so that the section 24 is brought into clamping relation with the pipe sections l1 and I8 thus clamping the carriage on these parts I! and i8 and preventing sliding movement thereon.

The standard 29 extends upwardly into a fitting 48. This fitting 48 is secured to the upper end of the standard 29 and projects beyond the same. Passing through the fitting 48 and telescoping with the section 29 is a pipe section 49 which serves as a continuation of the standard. Threaded into the fitting is a screw 59 having a knob 53 thereon for facilitating the threading of the same. When threaded inwardly, this screw is adapted for pressing a pressure plate tightly against the section 49 so that longitudinal relative movement of the sections 49 and 29 is thus prevented. Thus the screw 56 serves as a means, cooperating with the pressure plate 5!, of locking these sections in their various positions of adjustment.

The upper end of the section 49 is slotted at one side, as at 54,. Projected into the pipe 49 at the slotted portion, is a tongue 66 which projects downwardly from the tubular fitting 6| into which is inserted one end of a pipe 62. A screw 63 is threaded into the pipe 49. The outer end of this screw is angularly turned to provide the handle 64 whereby the screw may be rotated. The construction is such that the screw may be threaded inwardly to bear against the tongue 60 and preventing swinging of the same on the pivot pin 69' which projects through the pipe section 49 and through the tongue 66.

A table top 65 is provided on the bottom of which is mounted a clamp 66 through which the pipe section 62 is projected. This clamp section may be moved to closing position by the screw 61 so that the tilt of the table top 65, relatively to the pipe section '62, may be adjusted. When the table top is tipped to any desired angle, a tightening of the screw 61 will serve to lock the table in this position. The table top 65 may also be slid longitudinally of this pipe section 62 and its position, longitudinally of the pipe section 62, fixed by means of the screw 61.

In Fig. 1 I have illustrated the invention in extended or useable form. When it is desired to fold the structure, the screw 50 would be loosened and the table top, with the standard extension 49, rotated 180 degrees. The screw 63 would then be loosened to permit the table top and the pipe section 62 to swing to extended parallel to the standards 49 and 29. The screw 56 having been loosened, the sections 49 and 29 would telescope with each other. The screw 34 would then be loosened to disengage the keeper 3'! from operative position and the standard could then swing on the screws 27 as pivots into the position shown v in Fig. 3.

A table constructed in this manner is one which lends itself to many types of uses and is particularly adapted for use in hospitals and the like where it is desired to extend the table top over a bed. Experience has shown that while the carriage embodying the sections 23 and 24 may be moved longitudinally of the members I! and IS, the tipping of the table is avoided and a rigid, durable structure thus provided.

What I claim as new is:

1. In a table of the class described, a supporting bed; a carriage slidably mounted on said bed; a standard swingably connected at its lower end to said carriage and adapted when swung to inoperative position for lying parallel to and in close relation with said bed and when swung to operative position for projecting upwardly from said bed; and a cam mechanism operative upon swinging of said standard to operative position for securing said carriage against slidable movement relatively to said bed.

2. In a table of the class described, a supporting bed; a carriage slidably mounted on said bed; a clamping mechanism for clamping said carriage in fixed relation to said bed; a supporting standard swingably mounted at its lower end on said carriage and swingable into operative and inoperative position; and a cam mechanism for actuating said clamping mechanism upon swinging of said standard into operative position for securing said carriage in fixed relation to said bed.

THEODORE G. LINDERME. 

